Telescoping gate.



W. F. SNOHR.

TELESGOPING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1911. l

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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W. F. SNOHR.

TELESCOPING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22,1911.

Patented Nov.

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TELESGOPING GATE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 22,1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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W. SNOHR. TELESGOPING GATE. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 22, 191i.

PatentedNov. 3, 1914.

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WILLIAM r. slvonn, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TELEscoPING GATE. y t

To aZZw/wm t may concern.' f

Be it known that l, WILLIAM F. SNOHR, a citizen of the United States, residirg at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain nen7 and useful'lmprovements in Telescoping Gates, of which the following is a description, reference being had to Vthe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica.

tion, in which corresponding numerals of reference in the different iigures indicate rl`he primary object of my invention is to provide simple, durable and effective safety gates adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure for use upon street and interurban cars,

the aim being to enable the opening and closing. of said gates to be entirely under the control of` a conductor or other author,

ized person so that passengers `may be prevented from passing said gates except as they may be caused to open by the one in charge thereof. f

Uther objects are to enable air from the ordinary brake-cylinder reservoir to be employed for actuating the gates or barriers at alternately low and high pressures ac- -cording as they 'are closed or opened, to alf ternately lock said barriers closed by the direct action of the compressed fluid, to unlock them thereby for retraction, to provide means whereby a single pressure' regulator may be utilized in connect-ion with gates at opposite ends of a car so that those at the front end may be held constantly retracted while the others are being opened and closed.

To these and -other subsidiary ends, my

' invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter. more 'particularly de scribed and definitely pointed out in the claims. y

ln the drawings, Figure 1, is a vertical sectional 'view of the corner-prost of an 'ordinary street-car showing my improved automatic safety gateconnected therewith with the bars withdrawn, the cylinders inclos- "ing the sliding bars being shown in longitudinal section as are also the cylinders of the automatic locking devices, one of 4said bars being also sectioned to show thecoiled spring therein, the cylinders being connectcd with pipes leading to a source of compressed air.- Fig. 2, is a like view show? gate bars extended. Fig. 3, is an d sectional view-taken upon the line g. 2, viewed 1n the direction of the ai Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 22, 1911. Serial No. 628.698.

row there shown. Fig. 4, is a diagrammatic view showing two gates as they, would be disposed at opposite ends of a car, together with a source of compressed air, and intermediate pipe connections and valves, the rear vof the carbeing assumed to be at the left hand. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a special form of controlling. valve showing the parts in positiony to control the air for holding the gate open at the forward endof the car. F ig. 6, is a like View of a companion valve, showing'the ways adjusted for causing an extension of the gate bars at the rear end of the car. Fig. 7, is an enlarged view, partly in section of the reducing valve. Fig. 8, is an elevation of a portion of the rear end'of a street car showing the gate extended.

Referring to the drawings, 1, Figs. l, 2 and 4, represents the corner-post at the .forward end of a street car upon the left-hand side of the platform. ln the example illustrated, thercar to which the applied is of the pay-as-you-enter type and the aim is to provide a-safetygate for both front and rear, so that they may be used alternately as the condition of service may require. Extended through said post are .tubes or -cylinders 2, which are arranged horizontally and extended lengthwise of the car so as to be hidden in the :wall thereof. Each/ of said tubes is threaded at the end which vided with collar nuts 3 and 4, by means of which it is held rigidly in place, A screw cap 5, is attached tothe inner end of each of said tubes and into said cap is tapped a Nshort tube 6, which is connected by an elbow j|o1nt1with .a pipe 7 which is thereby placed .in communication with each of the tubes 2l The pipe 7 is connected by means of a T- rateatea Nov. s, raie.

invention is projects through. the post and is pro- A coupling 8, Figs. 1 and 2, with. a pipe 9, J

which, as illustratedin Figd, is bent upwardly, laterally, downwardly and thence laterally, to connect with a pipe 10, correspending to the pipe 7 and in communication' withB tubes or cylinders 11 at the rear end of the car, which cylinde s are vsecured f to a corner-post 12, said tubes eing counterp'arts of the tubes 2. A pipe 13 is connected to thepipe 9 at Interposed in the pipe 13 is a reduction valve generally designated by 15, an enlarged view of which is shown in Fig. 7. Said valve is of a well known construction, having a casing 16, the chamber in which is divided by a partition lio 17, arranged toform a-valve-seat, the openl in which by-pass there is inserted an ordinary globe-valve 25, which is held normally closed by means of a spring 26, Fig. 7. The

pipe 13 is connected at 27 with a pipe 28, having three-way valves 29 and 30-connected therewith, enlarged views of which are 'shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The details of said valves will be described later. A bent pipe 31, has one end* connected with the valve 29 and the other with the valve 30. A pipe 32, serves to connect the pipe 31 with a tank 33, which serves as a source of compressed air and in practice, would be the ordinary compressed air-tankA connected with the brake operating mechanism.

Connecting the cylinders 2, is a pipe 34,`

which is connected with the valve 29, by means of a pipe 35. A pipe 36, in like man-A ner connects the tubes 11, at the rear end of the car, as shown in Fig. 4, and is in turn, connected with the valve 30 by means ot' a pipe 37.. A cylinder 38, is secured to each of the cylinders 2, by means of a headed screw 39, Figs. 1 and 2, which is tapped into the cylinder as shown. Each of said screws is centrally bored for the reception of a bolt 40, one end of which is attached to a piston 41, tted within said cylinder. The bolt is adapted to enter the cylinder 2, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose hereinafter stated but it may be retracted to the position shown in Fig. 1, by the action, presently 'to be described, of compressed air upon the piston, supplemented by the action of al spring 42; the sole purpose of which is to hold said piston in said position when there is no air pressure in the main tank. The pipe 34 is connected near its ends with the cylinders 38. by short pipes 43. Communication is also established between the cylinders 2 and the outer ends of the cylinders 38, by means' of pipes 44 and 45, connected by the usual fittings 46, 47 and 48. The cylinders 11 are connected with cylinders 49, `which are counterparts of the cylinder 38, andare provided with the several pipe connections and other coacting elements above described and for a like purpose.

V The valves 29 and 30, the former of which is located at the front and the latter at the rear of the car, are identical in construction and are intended to control the admission of compressed air at either high orlow pressure as may be desired to the cylinders 2, and 11 respectively. Each valve is provided whichthey are inclosed,

with a cylindrical casing having four out-f lets,'-three for the service pipes, referred to and an exhaust opening 50. The plug 51 is provided with two passages 52 and 53, corresponding to those of the usual two-way valve and also an L-shaped passage 54, the limbs of which are arranged to extend from the center to the circumference of the plug at right angles to each other, one of said 'limbs in the valve 29 being located midway --between the outlets of the two passages 52,

53 and the other between the outlets of the passage 52, while in the valve 30 the arrangement is reversed by placing the outlet of one of said limbs between lthe outlets of the passage 53. When the handle 55, Fig. 4, of the valve 29 is set as shown, the passages 52 and'53 are closed as indicated in Fig. 5,

and the passage 54 is in communication with pipes 31 and 35, thereby permitting air under high pressure to pass from the tank 33 to the pipe 35 and thence into the cylinders 38 to act upon the pistons 4l and move them into the respective positions shown in Fig. 1.

As above stated, the passages 54 in the valves 29 and 30 are oppositely located with respect to each other, one being upon the right-hand and the other upon the lett-hand side ot the plug. When, therefore, the handle 55 of the valve 30 is disposed as shown in Fig. 4, the respective positions of the passages 52, 53 and 54, will be as shown in Fig. 6. When thus disposedthe passage 52 will serve to connect the pipes 31 and 28,

the passage 53 will connect t-he pipe 37 with the exhaust port 50 and the passage 54 will be closed. With such a disposal, the air is free to escape from the pipe 37 ,while that from the tank is free to pass through the pipes 32 and 31, valve 30,`pipes 28 and 13 to the-reduction valve 15. The valve plug 18 is held normally open by the spring 23,

thereby permitting the air to pass into the upper chamber of the valve and thence through the opening 2Q and hollow-valvestem19, to the chamber above the diaphragm 22,' the 'downward pressure upon which causes the valve to close at a predet-ermined pressure. In the meantime the air, at the reduced pressure determined by the valve, will have passed into the pipes 7,

9, and 10 respectively and thence into the ends of the cylinders 2 4and 11.

, Within the cylinders 2 are gate-bars 56, and within the cylinders 11 are placed like bars 57. The gate bars are smaller in diameter than the cylinders in said bars being provided with rings or collars 58,'I 59, Figs. 1

and 2,- upon the inner ends,'with an annular groove l60 between them 'of a width adapted to receive the bolt or part 40, asherelnafter described. The -rings 59 are intended to serve as pistons for the purpose hereinafter fitted tubiilar,

' ment of the gates.

stated. ln the forward ends of the cylinf ders are placed sleeves 61, which serve as sliding bearings for the bars .56. Said sleeves are provided with longitudinal grooves 62 as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose hereinafter stated. Upon the outer. ends of thebars 56 are formed heads 63, which are adapted to fit within sockets against the ends of the sleeves '61, when the bars are positioned as shown in Fig. l, so as to. close the openings or grooves 62.

Coiled springs 64, are preferably placed within' the bars 56, said springs having oneend connected to a pin 65, Fig. 1, and the other to a pin 66 in the cap 5. One purpose of the springs is to hold the gate-bars in place within the tubes when there is no air-pressure in the tank, and another is to prevent the bars from being pushed outwardlyl with excessive force when air presL sure is exerted behind them. Like springs, not shown, are arranged in the same manner within the bars 57. The speed of movement of the gate-bars may also be controlled by means of nozzles 50a, Figs. 4, 5 and 6, having restricted openings 50", the area of which may be varied by means of adjusting screws 50c, thereby enabling the esca-pe of air to be so controlled as to insure any desired speed inthe move- This feature-enables the springs 64, to be dispensed with; but inasmuch as they serve to hold the bars within the tubes when there is no airpressure in the tank 33, I prefer toA retain them.

Should the valv'e 15, fail to operate so as. to release the air from the rear of the gate cylinders, the retraction of the gates when air at high pressure is admitted in front,

would result in causing an increase of pressure therein, which would tend'to defeat the desired action. As a precautionary measure l have, therefore, interposed a popvalve 9a in the pipe 9 adapted to open and permit theescape of air when it equals or exceeds a pressure suiiicient to operate the reduction valve.

rl-he operation of said device is as follows: Assuming the rear or lefthand end of the car, as shown in Fig. 4, to be used for the ingress and egress of passengers and that while so used it is desirable to withdraw the gate-bars at the opposite end, the valves 29l and 30 which are located respectively within easy Vaccess of the conductor at opposite' ends of the car, are set respectively in thepositions indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and the operating handle removed from the valve 29. Theair from the tank at maximum vpressure is thus permitted to pass directly through the passage 54 in the valve 291, .through the pipes 35, 34 and 43, into the cylinders 2 against the pistons 41, thereby @5 moving them outwardly and withdrawing thefbolts 40 from the tubes 2. At the same time air is admitted to the cylinders 2, through the ends of the pipe '34, thereby pressing against the piston,' or rings 59. and i forcing the gate-bars back into' the cylinders tothe fulllimit, as shown inFigs. 1

and 4. Simultaneously the air from the tank passes through the passage 52 Ain the Avalve 30 land thence, as` described, through the reduction valve and, at a reduced pres` sure,'in-to the pipes 7, Q'and 10, where it presses against the inner ends of both sets of bars, thereby tending to force them out. The high pressure froman opposite direction against the .shoulders of the rings 59, Figs. 1 and- 2, however, is more than sufii cient to overcome said outwardpressure and the bars 56, at the front of the car are there by held within lthe cylinders as shown in Figs.. 1 and 4. Reference to Fig. 6 will show that when the valve handle 30 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, so as to permit air to pass through the passage 52, to the reduction-valve, the passage 54 is closed and the passage 53 is in communication with the pipe 37 and the discharge port 50,

thereby permitting the high Apressure air to escape from the side of the pistons not shown, Within the cylinders 49, neXt to the cylinders 1l, which correspond to the pistons 41, thereby unlocking the rbolts controlled by 'said pistons, when the low pressure air with` in saidv cylinders, having first forced the'VJ gate-bars 57, outwardly to the full limit, will pass through the pipes 44 upon the op posite side ofthe pistons 41, as shown in' Fig. 2, and force the bolts 40, against the action of the springs 42 into the grooves 60, thereby positively locking said bars 57 in extended positionv as shown in Fig. 4. In order to retract the gate-bars 57, the handle 55, of the valve 30, is moved to the extreme right as indicated in dotted lines inv Fig. 4. This movement causes the duct 52, of said valve to be brought into communication with the pipe 28, and exhaust port 50, and the duct 53, to communicate withl the pipes 31 and 37, while the duct 54, is closed. This adjustment permits the low pressure to ,escape from behind the pistons in the cylinders 11 and 49, at the same instant that the high pressure .air is admitted to the opposite ends of said cylinders; said` high pressure air first serving to retract the locking-bolts in the cylinder 49,-'and then to retract the bars 57, by pressingagainst the front 'of the piston-rings at the rear ends of said bars.

It is obvious that when-the handle of the valve 30 is turned to the extreme right at the y angle indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, the passage 52 will bein communication with the pipe 28 and the escapeport 50; but, as-- suming the valve 15 to have been previously closed in the manner described, such closure from the cylinders.

would prevent the escape of low pressure air' In order to overcome this diiculty, I have provided the by-pass '24 and valve 25, which is normally closed, but is caused to open against the action of the light spring 26 when the pressure is-removed from the left hand side, thereby permitting the air pressure from the right hand side to lift it. The pressure being thus reduced in the chamber above the valve 18, the air is permitted to escape from the diaphragm chamber when the spring 213 acts to open the valve 18.

The gate-bars are of such a length that when extended as shown in Fig. 8, they will project within a short distance of the vertical post 67, to which is connected the usual railing within which Athe conductor stands upon the cars of this type. The passengers enter the cars at the left of said post and pass through a door adjacent to the railing.

Upon leaving the car, however, theylpass f` through a door communicating with the railed space at the right of the post 67. The gate-bars, however, ed across the passage, the passenger cannot alight until they are withdrawn at the instance of the conductor who moves the valve handle 55,'or that purpose after the car is stopped, thereby avoiding accident. Until the valve is properly manipulated, the gate-bars at the rear of the car are locked l outwardly by means of the lock-bolts 40 which are held in engagement with the grooves 60 asa result of the air pressurel upon the pistons 41 as shown in Fig. 2. When the valve is reversed the gate-bars are withdrawn and. inA order to prevent the heads 68 or any 'part of said bars from becoming-engaged or entangled with the cloth' ing of a passenger, the grooves 62 in the sleeves 61, are provided, which permits an l escape ofair therefrom which would act to blow any article of clothing from the 'sockets into which the heads are adapted to enter. `WheriV the bars are withdrawn the outlet grooves are closed by said heads in the manner shown in Fig. 1. By limiting the outward movement of the bars so as tojhold them away from the post 67, all danger of injury tothe hand of one grasping said post may be avoided.

I do not wish to .be limited tothe exact construction shown nor to any particular number of bars to obstruct a given passage. While I preferto employ two as shown, it is obvious that one may be omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention, and in many cases one would serve the purpose satisfactorily.

From what has been stated, it will be obvious that the apparatus described constitutes a'complete coacting system for controlling the barriers at opposite ends of a car so ,as to enable high and low pressure being normally extendair to be alternately used at one end of the car to actuate the gate-bars, while those at the other end are held stationary; which result is rendered possible by means of the ducts 51,1, in the front and rear valves, the one at'the front being in constant use, while that' at the rear is constantly closed, a single reduction-valve, common to both -sets of gate-cylinders, and a source of high pres sure air in communication with the pipes -leading to said gate-cylinders, in which three-way valves are located.

Having thus claim 1. A gate system for controlling dierent passage-Ways, in which is combined a cylinder located at each passage-way, a telescoping gate-bar fitted therein, a piston upon each bar, a controlling valvearbitrarily located with respect to each passage-way, a source of compressed air in communication with each of said controlling valves, a separate conduit leading from each valve to the forward end of the cylinder which said valve is intended to control, a conduit for connecting each vof each of said cylinders and a reduction-valve interposed in said conduit, each of said controlling valves being provided with complementary ways for simultaneously admitting air through said reduction-valve to the rear ,oit both of s'aid cylinders while releasing high pressure from the front of one of them and vice versa and a way for admitting high pressure airv to the front of said cylinder while closing both of the other ways, whereby one of said gates may be held retracted while th( other is being operated.

2. A gate system for controlling different passage-ways, in which is combined a cylinder located at each passage-way for the reception of a slidable gate-bar to guard said passage-way, a slidable gate-bar fitted in each ofsaid cylinders, a piston secured to each of said bars, a three-way valve arbitrarily located with respect to each passageway, a source of vcompressed air, a conduit .leading therefrom to each of said three-way valves, a reduction-valve, a conduit leading from each of said three-way valves to said reduction-valve, a conduit leading from said reduction-valve to the rear end of each of said cylinders to permit air at a low pressure .to be admitted thereto to conduit leading from each of said threeway valvesfto the forward end of one of said cylinders for admitting air thereto at a high pressure to cause the gate-bar at one passage-way to be operated regardless of the relative position of that at another.

8. In a gate system for guarding a plurality of passage-ways, thevcombi'nation of a cylinder adjacent to each passage-way for the reception of a slidable gate-bar, a sliddescribed my invention, I

said valves to the rear end of f press out- 'wardly against each of said pistons, and a each lof said valves, a reduction-valve, a con# duit `leading from ieach of said three-Way lValves to said reduction-valve and from said reduction-valve fto the frear :of each of said cylinders .to permit air at low vpressure to enter at the rrear ithereof, a by-pass connected with said lconduit upon opposite sides of said reduction-valve, an escape valve in said lay-pass 'for ,allowing an `escape of air lfrom said cylinders when pressure is released from behind said escape-valve, and a conduit leading from each of saidthree-way valves ito the forward lend of the cylinders at the passage way which a given valve is intended -to control, to Apermit air at high pressure to enter said cylinder for retracting said .gate-bars. 4 L

A gate system Afor/,guarding a plurality of passage-ways, Icomprising a gate located at each passageeway, each gate consisting of a cylinder, a gate-bar arranged .to telescope therewith and a piston, incombination with a controlling valve for each gate, a source -of compressed air in communication .with each of said controlling-valves, a conduit for connecting said kcontrollingvalves with the inner ends of each of said cylinders, a reduction-valve located in said last named conduit for reducing the pressure of air which may be yadmitted to said cylinders, a conduit foreonnecting the forward end of each cylinder with the controlling-valve intended to control the gate i. of which Athat cylinder forms a part, each controlling-valve having three ways, two of which when in a given position act siinulj tiineously, the third being closed, one of said "two to admit air to the inner end=of each of said cylinders while the other permits its escape from'the, front of one cylinder -connect- `ed therewith, and when reversed said one v permitting a release of air from the rear of said cylinders while admitting it in front of said one, said third way serving when open and the other two are closed, to admit air directly from, said source tothe front of said cylinder.

5. rlhe combination in agatel of Aa cylinder, a telescoping gate-bar fitted therein, a piston upon said bar at a predetermined distance from its :forward end, a source of compressed air, means for admitting the same behind said piston, means for releasing said air, means for locking said gatebar in an extended position and air-con- -trolled means for actuating said locking means when saidgate-bar is fully extended. 6. The combination in a gate of a cylinder, a-telescoping gate-bar fitted therein, a

piston upon said bar at a predetermined compressed air, means for admitting the `distance from its forward end, `a source of `compressed air, means for admitting the same behind said piston to project the same,

:air-controlled 4means for locking said gate- 'bar in an extended position, means for ad- `mitting air iii front of said piston to retract said bar rand air-controlled means for normally holding said locking means in an unlocked position during the presence of said air in front. v

f?. The combination in a gate, of a cylinder, a Itelescoping gate-bar tted therein, a

piston upon said bar at a predetermined distance from its forward end, a source of' Y same behind said piston,- means for releasing said air, means for locking `saidzgate-bar in an extendedv position, air-controlled 'means for actuating said locking means when said gate-bar is fully extended, 4means -for normally holding said locking means in an unlocked position and means for returning and holding said bar within the cylinders when `the air is released from behind the piston.

8. The combination in a gate of a cylinder, a telescoping gate-bar litted therein, a source of compressed air in communication With the rear end of said cylinderand a coiled lspring having one end connected to a stationary point and the other to said bar to cushion and control the outward movement of the latter when air is admitted to said cylinder behind said bar.

f9. rl`he combination in a gate of-,a cylinder, a telescoping gate-bar fitted therein to be projected from one end, a source of compressed air in communication with the rear end of said cylinder, a coiled spring having one end connected to a stationary point and vthe other toesaid bar, air-controlled locking means f orplocking said bar in position when projected, and means for releasing said locking means when the air pressure is released from behind said bai'.

l0. The combination'in a gate of a cylinder, a telescoping gate-bar itted therein, a piston upon said gate-bar at a predetermined distance from its forward end, aA source of compressed air, valve controlled `means for admitting the same' behind said .piston to project said bar, valve controlled means for releasing said air from behind said piston, means for admitting air under pressure in front thereof and openings adjacent to said bar Iat itsforward end for permitting an outflow of air when the bar is returned to the cylinder to prevent a contact of clothing therewith.

l1. 'lfhe combination ina gate of a cylinder, a telescoping gate-bar fitted therein, a piston upon said gate-bar at a predetermined distance from its forward end, a source of compressed air, a secondary cylinder arranged at right angles to said gate-bar ica' cylinder, a piston therein having a locking bolt adapted to engage said gate-bar when the latter is projected, means for admitting air under pressure to the rear end of said gatebar, means for admitting air under pressure to the outer end of said secondary cylinder when said bar is. fully extended to actuate the piston therein to lock said bolt, means for releasing air from behind said bar and from said secondary cylinder and means for admitting air under pressure to the opposite end of said secondary cylinder to withdraw said .bolt when air is released from behind said bar.

12. A gate-system for guarding separate passage-ways, inwhich is combined a gate located at each passage-way, each gate having a cylinder, a telescoping gatebar, and a piston upon said gate bar ata predetermined distance from its forward end, a source of compressed air, two three-way valves each in communication therewith, a conduit leading from one side of one of said Valves, to the forward end 0f one of said cylinders, a conduit leading from the corresponding side of the other of said valvestothe forward end of the other of 'said cylinders, a lconduit leading from the 'opposite sides of said valves to the rearends of each of`said cylinders, -a reduction valve interposed in said conduit and a by-pass leading around said reduction valve, said pass having a valve therein openable in a reverse direction from that of said reduction Valve.

13. The combination ina gate of a cylinder, a telescoping gate-,bar vfitted therein, al

piston upon said bar at a distance from its forward end corresponding substantially to the extent of its longitudinal movement, means for alternately admitting air under pressure to opposite sides of said piston, means for alternately releasing air opposite sides of said piston and means for permitting an escape of air around said bar from the forward end of said cylinder during the retracting movement of said bar. In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 18th day of rApril, 1911.

WILLIAM F. SNOHR. Witnesses:

DAVID H. FLETCHER, JENNIE L. FISKE.

from f' 

